Progress Park Awarded $5.1 million for Continued Site Development

Governor Glenn Youngkin announced a grant award of over $5.1 million for Wythe County’s Progress Park from the Virginia Business Ready Sites Program to improve an ungraded site to a build-ready, highly marketable property.

The availability of ready sites in Wythe County’s aptly named Progress Park will soon get a boost. On Thursday, Governor Glenn Youngkin announced that $5.1 million would be awarded for a major site development project in Wythe County that will yield a new, graded property in the park to market.
 
Staff from the Joint IDA of Wythe County applied for these competitive funds earlier this year as part of the Virginia Business Ready Sites Program (VBRSP) administered by the Virginia Economic Development Partnership (VEDP).
 
“Business-ready sites drive and accelerate economic growth, and our continued investments in site development position the Commonwealth to compete to win transformative projects that will bring hundreds and thousands of jobs to Virginia,” said Governor Glenn Youngkin. “A growing inventory of project-ready sites is a huge competitive advantage, and our investments in the Virginia Business Ready Sites Program were a big factor in Virginia being named America’s Top State for Business. Before we took office, Virginia was significantly behind our competitor states. We must continue the concerted effort we’ve made to invest in sites over the course of my administration and we’re looking forward to Virginians seeing the benefits of this work in the future.”
 
“Virginia has worked strategically to create a diverse portfolio of project-ready sites to meet company needs in a variety of target sectors, and these grants are a primary reason why Virginia is recognized as a national leader in site development,” said VEDP President and CEO Jason El Koubi. “I am incredibly proud of the results of the program’s efforts. This investment in Virginia’s infrastructure will continue to accelerate economic development in every region of the Commonwealth for years to come.”
 
Virginia’s Business Ready Sites Program is designed to bring more high-potential, market-ready sites to the Commonwealth’s inventory of properties. This initiative was developed by a team of state, regional, and local stakeholders including VEDP, the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, as well as representatives from railroads, utilities, engineering firms, business, and industry. The local team worked with the engineering firm Dewberry to develop the proposal.
 
Progress Park has been the beneficiary of significant planning and investment since it was acquired 25 years ago by the Wythe County Board of Supervisors. Local leadership furthered the attractiveness of the 1210-acre park by undertaking significant improvement projects to install and upfit infrastructure framework, to grow utility capacity, to develop rail capacity, and to prepare sites for construction.

Senator Travis Hackworth, who represents part of Wythe County in the Senate of Virginia said, “Investment in ready sites is a major priority for Virginia’s elected leaders. We know that Southwest Virginia can compete with anywhere in the world on the strength of our workforce and quality of life. With a shovel-ready site such as what Lot 10 in Progress Park will provide, we will better compete for high quality jobs and investment.”
 
“Wythe County’s leadership has an established tradition of making long term investments in our community’s future. Prepared sites are not optional in today’s competitive landscape. We look forward to partnering with the Joint IDA team to develop Lot 10 in Progress Park,” said Chairman Brian Vaught of the Wythe County Board of Supervisors. “This work will further cement our position as a great place to do business and it represents an important step we are taking in securing a strong future for our local economy.”
 
Michael Cole, Chairman of the Joint IDA of Wythe County Board of Directors, commented, “Our board joins in celebrating the award of this significant grant. Site development is a high priority for us, and we look forward to starting the process. Lot 10 will fast become a highly marketable site in Southwest Virginia, and we appreciate the diligence that moves this effort forward.”
 
Investment in the park since 1999 by Wythe County leaders and other public and private sector partners have enabled Somic America, Gatorade, Lane Enterprises, Amcor, Atsumi Car Equipment, and Coalfield Services, Inc., to establish thriving operations that employ over 1,100 people.
 
“A parallel VDOT-led project will culminate in a direct transportation link between the I-77/I-81 corridor and Progress Park. The road will enter the park along the southern perimeter of Lot 10. This serves to further enhance Wythe County’s transportation infrastructure and our competitive edge,” said Stephen Bear, Wythe County Administrator.
 
“VBRSP and its collaborative approach are compelling. Without the major support from the Commonwealth, projects like this might not otherwise be practical. Thanks to leadership and vision from elected leaders including the Governor, the General Assembly, and from Wythe County, this investment will pay dividends for years to come,” added David Manley, Executive Director of the Joint IDA of Wythe County.
 
For more information contact: David Manley at david.manley@wytheida.org
or 276-223-3370

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